Newest WRPA member misses meeting due to snow duties

WARREN — The newest member of the board of directors for the Western Reserve Port Authority was not able attend his first meeting this morning because he runs a landscaping company that is busy with snow plowing today.

The Trumbull County commissioners recently appointed Michael F. Welsh of Vienna to replace Atty. David Detec to a four-year term on the Western Reserve Port Authority.

Welsh has owned Michael’s Landscaping of Hubbard for the past 30 years.

John Moliterno, port authority executive director, said Welsh called him last night to say that with heavy snowfall coming this morning, Welsh "needs to be out with his guys" clearing snow.

"He's very sorry he cannot be here today," Moliterno told the rest of the board.

The Vienna Towship trustees recommended Welsh to the position after telling the commissioners recently the township needs to be represented on the board because the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, which the port authority runs, takes up one-sixth of the township’s land.

The commissioners from Trumbull and Mahoning counties each appoint four of the eight members of the volunteer board.

"It was nice to have an attorney on the board," Mahoning County representative David Mosure said during the meeting. "He saved us money," added Richard Edwards, another Mahoning County representative.